I’ve lived in London for the past 5 years and watched, with great anticipation, the Shard being built from its foundations to one of the tallest buildings in Europe.
The Shard stands proud as a new addition to the London skyline, and 2 years after its opening, I finally decided that the weather was perfect enough to visit the impressive building.
It was a quiet Wednesday evening in June, the weather was surprisingly warm and the sky only held a few clouds. The first lift took us to the 33rd floor in seconds, and the final lift brought us to the 69th floor. The speed caused an odd sensation and made me feel slightly dizzy as I entered the glass room with panoramic views. It was a spectacular sight, which was accompanied by epic music playing throughout, it was a definite ‘aahhh’ moment.
We bought a glass of Kir Royal at the bar and made our way to the 72nd and final floor: The outdoor viewing platform, which was surrounded by glass windows and open ceiling.
We still had half an hour before the sun would set, so we decided to take some photos on each side of the shard before sitting down and enjoying the views.
As the sun was setting, more people crowded around us, snapping away with their phones and DSLRs. When the sun had disappeared behind the horizon, I made a final walk around the floor, watching the lights slowly turning on all around London.
After living for 7 years in the UK, of which 5 in London, I will be leaving the country
in 2 months, starting a new adventure abroad. My visit to the Shard turned somewhat emotional, as it felt like I was starting to say goodbye to the English capital I call home.
